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FOR 14 6 YEARS. OUR FIRST CONCERN H AS BEEN OUR COMMUNITY Publisher - Tim Whittaker Editor-in-Chiet-Joanne Burgliardt Managing Editor - Chris Bovie Regional Editor - Judi Bobbitt Advertising Manager - Fred Eisinont Composing Manager - Barb Harrison Office Manager - Lillian Hook Œfje Cattabiait Statesman Former Publishers and Partners Rev. John M. Climie and W.R. Climie 1854-1878 M.A. James 1878-1935 • Norman S.B. James 1919-1929 G. Elena James. 1929-1947 • Dr. George W. James 1919-1957 John M. James. 1957-1999 Produced by Mctroland Printing, Publishing & Distributing Ltd. Also Publishers of CLARINGTON THIS WEEK P.O. Box 481, 865 Farewell St., Oshawa, Ontario L1H 7L5 TEL: 905-579-4400 FAX: 905-579-2238 E-mail: ncwsroom@durhamrcgion.com Publications Mail Registration No. 07637 DROP OFFICE: James Publishing, 66 King St. W„ Bowmanville, 8:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. weekdays EDITORIAL e-mail li ltcrs In iinvsriiiiinla durlumircgitm.cnm New GM president has ambitious goals Michael Grimaldi shoots for greater market share 'What's good for General Motors is good for Canada.* With apologies to former U.S. General Motors president president Charles Wilson, who made the famous statement about the United States and GM in the 1940s, (he added vice versa to the quotation), the notion of GM and Canada Canada is not too far off the mark. ' The profitability of the auto giant is always of prime concern in Durham Region of course, as General Motors employs tens of thousands of workers not only in its car and truck plants but also with its many supplier operations. operations. If General Motors is hurting so too arc the many service industries throughout Durham and beyond, which rely on the patronage of GM workers, GM retirees and the many family members they support. That's why the terrific sales figures of GM vehicles in December are cause for great optimism for 2002. GM delivered an amazing 42,415 cars and trucks last month, an 11.8 per cent jump over December 2001 and the best- ever December for GM Canada. No doubt the offer of zero-per cent financing on vehicles helped spur sales but the bottom line is Canadians flocked to buy GM in spite of tremendous competition. Such good news must be welcomed by GM Canada's dynamic new president, Michael Grimaldi, who look the helm last week from Maureen Kcmpston Darkes. Ms. Darkes, who comes from a legal background, did a solid job in her seven years as chief of Canadian operations but Mr. Grimaldi, a marketing and financial wiz, has ambitious ambitious plans to expand GM's marketing share. This past year, in spite of a great December, saw GM Canada's total share of the Canadian market fall below 30 per cent for the first time in recent memory. GM dropped to 29.4 per cent and that's a number with which Mr. Grimaldi surely can't be satisfied. He intends to battle back with redesigned Chevrolet Cavalier and Pontiac Sunfire models. The compact car "market is the largest vehicle segment in Canada and the area where GM can make up the most ground. "We have a lot of strengths," says Mr. Grimaldi. "We've got to do a better job on the car side of the market," market," he adds, noting GM's trucks division gained three points in market share in 2001 while cars lost four points. Recent economic indicators suggest the recession may be over so the time could be ripe for GM to roar back and continue the momentum it gained from its superb superb December. Here's hoping Mr. Grimaldi has the midas touch. q, WITH THE STATESMAN 75 YEARS AGO Jan. 13,1927 A statutory meeting of Darlington council was held with the following members-elect present: Reeve, C.A. Wight; Deputy Reeve, Silas Williams; Councillors Geo. F. Annis, A.L. Pascoe and Harold G. Macklin. 50 YEARS AGO Jan. 10,1952 Almost every scat on the benches of the council chamber was taken, with some citizens standing, when Bow- manville's 1952 Town Council held its opening meeting. The four new councillors plus the members of the old council council included: councillors Walter DcGcer, O.F. Robinson, Fred Cole, Wilfrid D. Carruthcrs, Norman .1. Scott, Nelson E. Osborne; Reeve, F. Motley Vanslonc; Deputy Reeve, Melville S. Dale; Mayor Sidney Little. 25 YEARS AGO Jan. 12, 1977 A committee from the Village of Newcastle recommended recommended the cheaper of two solutions to the arena problems: rebuilding rebuilding the Newcastle Arena on its present site. The estimated estimated cost was $250,000. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR e-mail letters to imi'snwmQtlurhaimvgion.coni Christmas spoiled by grave robbery To the editor: While the majority of our community is enjoying the festivities festivities of the season, there are those who are experiencing a difficult time during the holidays. holidays. The harsh reality of the absence absence of a loved one becomes more prominent during these times when "family" gathers to share love. It will be two years this coming February since the passing of my brother, Brian. Our family continues to mourn our loss, especially during the Christmas season, since Brian was "our" family Santa. His jovial manner as he distributed the gifts to the "little ones" during our family Christmas remains a vibrant memory with us all. My parent's gift to their son this year was a beautiful floral saddle that tops his monument in the Bowmanville Cemetery. This tribute was about the only way my parents felt they were able to say 'Merry Christmas' to their son. On Christmas Eve this floral floral tribute was removed/stolen from his place of rest. It greatly greatly disturbs my parents and our family this event has happened. happened. We find it very difficult to understand the reason for such an occurrence. It has saddened saddened us, and especially my parents, to know the only gift placed with Brian has been removed. removed. I can only hope the per-. son(s) responsible for such an act will read this letter and have very large regrets. Although, Although, I am sure that those with this type of behaviour are those who would not read our local paper, but if they do my message for them is: Please look within yourself before you act, realize the effects of your actions.... You may be walking in the .other man's shoes someday. As the old proverbial saying goes, 'Do unto others...' Donna Metcalf-Woo Clarington Premier was a lawyer's best friend Frequent lawsuits saw Mike Harris on losing end Many will miss Premier Mike Harris, but some heavy- hitting lawyers will be crying all over their briefs. The retiring Progressive Conservative premier has been involved in more lawsuits than any predecessor and this has meant a lot of fat fees for the legal profession. Mr. Harris also has lost more than any premier before him. His record is like that of the hapless hapless TV lawyer who appeared in court weekly and was ripped to shreds by the all-knowing, relentless relentless Perry Mason. Mr. Harris has lost a couple more cases even in his dying days as premier. In one, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled he had no right to strip Ontario's 100,000 farm workers of their right to join unions. The premier had repealed a law the former New Democrat government brought in in 1994 which, for the first time, granted agricultural workers the right to bargain collectively. Previous governments had refused it on the grounds the seasonal, unreliable nature of farming made it difficult to set working conditions and family farms arc fragile. The NDP still did not give workers the right to strike, but said disputes must be settled by arbitration. Mr. Harris in opposition promised to repeal the law if he was elected in 1995 and its supporters supporters warned he would never get the courts to uphold him, but lie scrapped it as soon as he got in. The most senior court has now found by an 8-1 decision Mr. Harris violated the provision in the Constitution that allows all Canadians freedom of association. association. It pointed out also many of today's farms arc huge, company-run company-run businesses and not family operations. The premier's last word is he is extremely disappointed and looking at what he can do next. He does not bow to the law easily- easily- The same week the Ontario Court of Appeal ruled 3-0 Mr. Harris could not substantially reduce reduce the operation of Monllbrt Hospital in Ottawa, which an earlier Liberal government designated designated as essential to help French-language services survive. survive. The court found this was a breach of the spirit of the Constitution, Constitution, which lays down as a fundamental principle the rights of the French-speaking minority in Ontario must be protected. Mr. Harris has responded the decision decision is complex and the Province is reviewing its options. options. Among other rulings, the Supreme Court found Mr. Harris violated the Charier by refusing to give same-sex couples the same rights as couples of opposite opposite sexes living together. The premier eventually complied grudgingly in legislation he petulantly called An Act To Amend Certain Statutes Because Because Of The Supreme Court Of Canada Decision In M v H, to make sure residents knew it was not his idea. Ontario's Court of Appeal prevented Mr. Harris from appointing appointing retired judges to arbitrate arbitrate collective bargaining disputes disputes in place of arbitrators chosen chosen from a list nominated by unions and management. Unions thought the ex-judges would feel they owed their jobs to Mr. Harris, who is distinctly pro-business, and the court agreed the premier was trying to seize control of the bargaining process. Courts told Mr. Harris he could not fire appointed members members of three different public boards before their terms expired expired merely because they arc not Tories. They also would not grant him an injunction to stop a teachers' strike after only two days on the claim it had caused irreparable damage, because governments normally wait about three weeks. To cite just one other example. example. Mr. Harris, proposed merging merging municipalities and they objected. objected. He then angrily appointed appointed watchdogs lie said would stop them wasting tax dollars and a court ruled lie had no authority authority to do so. Courts have chided him for avoiding meaningful meaningful consultation and being breathlakingly arbitrary. Why does Mr. Harris get into trouble with courts? He may receive receive poor legal advice at times, but more likely he has ignored advice closer to the views of the courts. Neil Crone Enter Laughing Make your resolutions a success -- aim low I think New Year's resolutions are a good thing. I just think most of us go about them in the wrong way. Most of us are hamstrung from the get-go for one major reason; we bite off more than we can chew. Why put yourself behind the eight- ball by starting the new year off with some Herculean task hanging over your head? "I am going to lose 100 pounds.I am going to work out every morning at five. I am going to take out the garbage." These are daunting tasks to say the least. Small wonder then, that most of us never get past the first week of such endeavours. endeavours. My approach is, I think you will find, much more palatable and therefore, therefore, much more prone to success. Start small. Set yourself attainable, realistic goals. For instance, if you're concerned with your weight, as so many of us are these days, don't focus on poundage and mass. That my friends, is a losing battle. Try this, "I resolve to only eat half a package of Oreos... at a time." Once you've fought that battle successfully successfully for a year or two you might be ready to downgrade from double-stuff to regular creme filling. Just think how good that would make you feel huh? You want to talk about self-esteem now, Mr. Chick Magnet? Now for many of us in the male gender, gender, domestic responsibilities are a bit of a bug bear. And so, each year hundreds of thousands of men, under the baleful stare of their spouses, make woefully unrealistic resolutions to do more around the house. Resolutions which, I remind you, are destined from the outset for failure. However, if we once again dial down our ambition a tad and take these things one step at a time, there's no telling what amount of marital bliss might be achieved. For example, resolving to take the garbage out every week is a pipe dream for most of us. We might as well resolve to cuddle after sex. But, if we employ my patented "graduated steps" program we can come very close to realizing that dream. I suggest most men begin with resolving resolving to simply acknowledge there is garbage. (By the way, this works marvellously marvellously with laundry, dirty dishes and raised or lowered toilet seats, too.) Stick with this program for a few months and then, when you're ready for it, blow her away by handing her the twist ties one day. Be prepared to call in late for work on that morning, pal. You'll be lucky to get out the door with your trousers on, if you know what I mean. If at some point you fail in your resolution, resolution, do what I do. Pour yourself a cold beer and a hot bath then sit back and blame someone else. THE CANADIAN STATESMAN is one of the Mctroland Printing, Publishing Publishing and Distributing group of newspapers. 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We regret that due to the volume of letters, not all will be printed, Fax letters to 623-616lor emailed to ncwsroom@durhamre- gion.com ©a a* ONtAM) r»HM.WNCH. A 0013 Information taken from tlw archives of The Canadian Statesman cca